Clothes-washing machine



July 15. 1924. I 150L133 B. ORTELL CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 6. 19255 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Iwwivrogr:

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Arramrmx Patented July 15, 1924.

BER'IHA QRTELL, or ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

CLOTHES-WASHING MACHINE.

Application filed January 6, 1923. Serial No. 611,165.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERTHA ORTELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-\Vashing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to clothes washing machines and the object is to provide a, de vice wherein clothes are washed thoroughly Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are respectively, a top, v

outside elevation, vertical section and inside elevation of the preferred form of boiler suspending device.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged top view of the boiler and its cover.

Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation as on line 10-10 in Fig. 9.

Figs. 11 and 12 are respectively an enlarged top and end view of the agitator or dasher device 33 used in the boiler.

Referring to the drawing by reference numerals it will first be understood that the Working parts of my improved clothes washing machine may be mounted in variously designed frames but in Figs. 1 and 2 I have shown a preferred form consisting of two parallel base bars 15, four vertical corner posts 16 mounted one at each end of the base bars, two horizontal bars 17 connecting the upper ends of thetwo posts on each base bar, acentral'vertical post 18 mounted flsat 18 on each base bar 15 and secured also to the bar 17 as at 19 and extending upwardly therefrom a predetermined distance, and a main vertically and centrally arranged front post 20. The latter has its lower end secured to a front cross member 21 of the frame, a like cross member 22 being provided at the rear end also. The upper portion of post 20 isbraced by suitable braces 23 secured to it and'the frame member 17 the latter being shown as angle iron bars in the drawings.

secured by rivets 31.

In the upper portion of each post 18 I provlde an inwardly projecting pivot pin 24: the inner end of which is flanged to form a so-called button head 24* 1 (see Fig. 7 for a purpose to be described. On these pivots 24 is pivotally hung a wash boiler 25 adapt ed to be oscillated by means mounted on the post 20 and connected with the boiler. Said boiler is in general appearance like an ordinary wash boiler, but ha its bottom edge rounded as at 25 and an external downwardly extending band 26 secured toit, by spot welding or other means and extending below the bottom of the boiler (see Figs.-

1, 2, 4 and 10). The upper edge of the boiler may be reinforced by an external'band .27v

(Figs. 1 and 10) and in placeof the usual beaded upper edge I merely bend the metal of the boiler inwardly and thence downwardly at an inwardly directed angle (as at 25 in Figs. 3 and 10) to prevent any possible leakage of water during the clothes washing process. The boiler fig provided with a specially designed-cover 2'8 with an inner downwardly projecting flange28 and an adjacent, integral horizontal flange 28", normally held down by spring catches 28", (see Fig. 10), a rubber gasket 29 being se curely held between the adjoining faces of said flanges and having an outer angular face adapted to engage the angular edge 25 of the boiler to form a water tight contact therewith (see Figs.-3 and 10).

The boiler 25 is preferably suspendedpivotally on the pins 2l-by means of a casting 30 such as shown in Figs. '5' to 8 inclusive, secured one on-each "side of the boiler in straddling position over its top edge and Each casting has an outer, downwardly opening pocket 3O with a vertical notch 30 adapted to engage the pin'2t the boiler thus being hung on the two opposite pins and adapted to be oscillated thereon. An inner, upwardly opening pocket 30 in said casting has a vertical notch 30 both of the oppositely arranged notches adapted to be engaged by the opposite headed pins 32 of an agitator member 33 thus journaled horizontally within the boiler to oscillate in the same vertical plane as the boiler. When the washing machine is idle the boiler and the agitator are normally in horizontal position as shown in Fig. 10. The agitator has a central, integral and vertically disposed bar 34 the upper end of which protrudes through a slot 35 in the cover 28 and its lower end projects downwardly within the boiler (see Fig. The upper end is pivotally secured as at 36 to the rear end of a for wardly extending connecting rod 37 the front end of which is pivotally secured to a pin 38 in the web of a gear 39 rotatably mounted near the upper end of the post 2O (see Figs. 1 and 2). A hand crank is also secured on the pin 38 to turn the gear, thereby operating the connecting rod 37 in a plane with the web of the gear and oscillating the agitator by its upright member 34. Another gear 41, one half as large as gear 39, is mounted rotatably at 42 in the post 20, meshing with the latter and has a pin 42 to which is pivotally secured the upper end of a connecting rod43. The lower end of said rod 43 is pivotally secured in brackets 44 secured in the adjacent end of the boiler (see Figs. 1 and 2). Thus it will be readily seen that the boiler receives two rocking motions or oscillations to one of the agitator within the boiler, the purpose of which will presently be described. Where electric current is available I provide a small platform 45 on the upper end of the post 20 and on which may be mounted a motor 46 with a pinion 47 meshing with the gear 39. Other means of connecting the motor (not shown) such as a belt drive, may of coursebe used, it being merely necessary first to determine the proper sizes of pulleys to use in order to operate the machine at its most efiicient speed. The best ratio of the gears 39 and 41 is two to one, though this ratio may also be varied.

As the boiler isoscillated twice as fast as the agitator I have made the cover 28 high at both ends so that the agitator may and the ends of the agitator come up under the cover to some extent.

The agitator 33 is mainly a skeletoned frame comprising a central transverse block 33 having the headed pins 32, one in each end, and the bar 34 secured centrally in it. Horizontally arranged, parallel spaced bars 33 are secured to said block, their outer ends projecting downwardly as 33 and light cross bars 48 are secured in spaced relation on the under side of the bars 33". 49 are inverted cup-shaped members secured on the under side of the bars 48 one near each end of the agitator and both opening inwardly and downwardly (see Figs. 10 and 11).

50 in Figs. 1 and 2 indicates an A-frame provided one at each side of the boiler 25 and each pivoted at its upper end on pin 24 of the adjacent frame bar 18. 50 is the horizontal member of each A-frame near its lower end, the bottom end of each upright member having a roller 51 pivotally attached to it and adapted to roll on a curved track 52 secured on the frame bar 17 and concentric with the pin 24. Cross bars 53 are secured with their ends in the opposite A-frames in spaced relation and are adapted to engage in notches 26 in the bands 26 of the boiler thus supporting the under side of the boiler (see Figs. 1, 2 and 10).

54 is a platform secured as at 55 to the frame bars 17 and adapted to support a gas plate 56 or other suitable heating device under the boiler.

57 in Figs. 4 and 10 indicates a wash boiler attachment in the bottom of the boiler. This attachment is protected by a U. S. Patent No. 1,411,456, issued to me on April 1922, and its construction need not here be a ain disclosed except as to its usefulness in connection with this washing machine.

33 in Figs. 10, 11 and 12, indicates soap holders suitably secured one at each end of the agitator, said holders preferably being made of wire and having an opening gate (not shown) of any suitable construction, where the soap may be inserted.

59 in Fig. 1 indicates any type of suitable drain valve for draining the boiler.

The washing machine is used as follows:

ater, hot or cold as desired, is first put in the boiler until it reaches a suitable level, as 53 in Fig. 10. be washed are placed in the water on top of the attachment 57. Heat is applied to the under side of the boiler, as already de-.

scribed, and the water heated at the bottom of the boiler rises through the central opening of the attachment 57 (see arrows 57 in Fig. 10) after passing through a soap holder in the latter and circulates through the clothes to the top surface where it cools off and gradually comes down again at the sides of the boiler to the bottom and is heated again. The process thus far disclosed is fully described in my said former patent but is vitally important in the use of this washing machine.

When the heated water has reached ,a satisfactory circulating condition the operator puts the agitator member 33 in place, slips the cover over it and connects the connecting rod 37 to the upper end of the agitator bar 34 by any suitable connection at 36 and then turns on the current to operate the motor which in turn imparts the oscillating motions as described; or the hand crank 40 is used when power is not available.

The connecting rod 43, connected to the small gear 41 and the boiler, rocks the boiler in a vertical plane longitudinally of the main frame and throws the water within the boiler from one end to the other, while the agitator rocks on its pivots within the boiler but only half as fast as the latter. Therefore when either end of the agitator is down Then the soiled clothes to I neck and head 61-62.

at an angle the soapy water is at times thrown quite forcibly toward said lowered end and its cup like member 49 causes some of the water to be returned toward the center by the reflex action in meeting it, and other quantities of water and the clothes therein are forced against the bars 48 of the agitator, the result being that the clothes are rubbed back and forth on said bars and having the same effect on the clothes as if they were rubbed on a wash board. Some of the water however is forced up between the bars 48 and strikes the underside of the cover from where it will drop down over the soap holders 33 and back to the main bulk of the water. The fingers 33 of the agitator help to keep the clothes .down under it and the lower end of the bar 34 prevents the clothes from getting bunched in either end of the boiler. The inwardly and downwardly flanged edges 25 of the boiler also guide any water splashing up the sides of the boiler back to the main bulk of water. It is important that not too great speed be applied as the rocking motion needs only to be slow and steady for a comparatively short time to accomplish the desired results.

For washing very delicate articles, such as laces and silks, I provide an aperture in the agitator bar 34 near the under side of the member 33 and the lower end of the bar is formed, as in Figs. 10 and 12, with a The delicate articles can then be placed in a bag (not shown) which is tied at 60 and 61 to the bar 34 and the articles are thoroughly cleaned by the agitating or oscillating movement of the bar 34 in the water.

The boiler may be lifted out of the frame after first disconnecting the rod 37 at 36, the A-frame remaining in its place. Said A-frame may have any suitable arrangement of rollers at its lower end, for instance a pair of rollers may be used in each place where I have shown only one. Where the boiler and its hangers are of extra strong materials the A-frame may be dispensed with.

63 are horizontal and 64 vertical corrugations in the boiler (see Fig. 1) providing rubbing surfaces similar to those in a wash board.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine of the class described, a main frame, a wash boiler pivotally sus pended in the frame and adapted to be 0scillated in a vertical plane, a cover for the boiler, an agitator pivotally suspended within the boiler and adapted to be oscillated in a vertical plane, means on the main frame operatively connected with the boiler and the agitator for oscillating them simultaneously, and a boiler supporting device comprising two A-frames rotatable on the boiler pivots, one at each side of the boiler, a number of transverse bars having their ends secured in the oppositely disposed A- frames and adapted to support the under side of the boiler, rollers on the lower ends of the A-frames, a segmental track secured in the main frame for said rollers to roll on,

said track being concentric with the pivot of the boiler.

2. In a machine of the class described, a main frame, a wash boiler pivotally suspended in the frame and adapted to be oscillated in a vertical plane, a cover for the boiler, an agitator pivotally suspended within the boiler and adapted to be oscillated in a vertical plane, means on the main frame operatively connected with the boiler and the agitator for oscillating them simultaneously and in which said operating means oscillate the boiler and the agitator at different speeds, the said operating means comprising a large and a small gear meshing together and having each a crank pin, a rod driven by the crank pin of the large gear and detachably connected with the agitator, and another rod connecting the crank pin of the small gear with the boiler and means for rotating said gears.

33. In a washing machine of the class described, a boiler, an agitator trunnioned in the boiler and comprising a horizontally disposed, elongated, skeletoned frame consisting of two laterally spaced main bars with downwardly projecting ends, a series of lighter, spaced cross bars secured to said main bars and a skeletoned soap holding device at each end of the frame.

4. The combination with an oblong wash boiler, of an oblongagitator trunnioned to tilt therein, said agitator having at the under side of each end a fixed suction cup normally facing toward the middle of the bottom of the boiler, and downwardly projecting parts at the ends of the agitator, said agitator having also a central, fixed downwardly extending arm by which to agitate the clothes.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

BERTHA ORTELL. 

